I'm Not Falling For You
by a-few-of-these-verses
Summary: Taz and Up fall in love in the months leading up to Qo'noS. Pre- and post- Up's injury.
1. Alarm

WAH WAH WAH WAH

Taz groggily looked up at her clock. _5 AM?_ Probably just another training drill, getting everybody prepared for an actual fight. It had been two months since she had been in battle. Up had left for a few skirmishes every now and then, but whenever she would ask him to go, he was increasingly telling her 'no'. In fact, when he left last week for a battle, she almost begged on her knees to go. Of course, Up muttered something about not wanting to lose his best lieutenant. He didn't even look at her this time. Just looked away while telling her no.

Maybe when Up returns they can work on their friendship more. Things weren't that tense, were they? She was always so worried about falling for him. If her madre was still alive, she knew that she would be getting the scolding of a lifetime. Fifteen years isn't that much of an age difference. Not really. Up just looked old because of his wartime experience. And they were both adults! No. She wasn't thinking about this. They were friends. _Buenos amigos._ The best of friends. Romance wasn't going to ruin it. No time to think of this now. It's time to get ready for the drill_. Oh, por favor ser una batalla. Up can't stop me from going this time!_

* * *

><p>Up slowly looked at the decadent ruins around him. He and his men killed the ten robots terrorizing the village, but the cost... He was the only survivor. <em>Well, they knew what they were doing.<em> Up was so glad that Taz wasn't along. He couldn't bear to lose his best friend. His girl. No, not his girl. He had to stop thinking she was his girl. They were friends. They could tell each other anything. He just didn't want her to get hurt or killed in battle. That was a purely friendship sort of thing, wasn't it?

Of course, they'd be picked on by other members of G.L.E.E. if they did go out. Taz, so small and tomboyish. She fought better than any of his men though. And him, the toughest, meanest commander, 40-years old, and instead looks like he's 60, falling in love. The fire-truckin' 40-year-old virgin. Wait. No. He and Taz were friends. Just friends. Only friends. "This is Commander Up," he talked into his communication device, "Los Angeles is now safe, but my troops were killed by robots. I request a shuttle to come and get me within the next hour. If robots come back- hello? Anyone there?" Up looked at the device again. It was broken. Something must have happened to it when that last robot threw him to the ground as it melted. The base was a minute away by ship, but a half hour away by walking. _Better get walking now_, thought Up, _Taz will help you recover from this_.

* * *

><p>The base's hall was filled with rangers. Taz found an empty seat near the front. She wanted to get picked for this mission, if it was a mission. If not, she'd get more practice in. Taz looked around for a familiar face. It was an empty thought, hoping for Up to be there, but he was her only friend. She guessed that it was her bossy demeanor and violent temper that scared people away from her. It was just her and Up, the misfits, the strong ones. Up could do anything; he wasn't scared. He was almost like an idol to her, a mentor. They'd spent years together now. Ten years of friendship. Blowing up robots, saving cities, saving towns, tending to each other's wounds… For a 40-year-old, Up had a helluva body, minus the prematurely graying hair. His biceps, his chest gleaming, that six-pack. His face wasn't bad either. And those eyes. <em>No, he's a friend<em>. _You can't think like that. You have got to be __tough!_

Taz thought about the last robot she destroyed two months ago. Up had congratulated her, and they watched _The Karate Kid_ together. Taz had never seen it before, but Up had told her she would like it. And she did, even if it was an ancient movie. They slept in Up's bed that night, since he had the equipment for DVDs. They had slept together before on missions, but this was the first time she had been in his bed. When she finally woke up, she saw that their faces were almost touching, and he had his arm around her back. She was afraid to move, but at the same time, didn't want to because something felt right. Taz shut her eyes and heard Up mutter something in his sleep, and his embrace tightened. Then, as if had never happened, the moment was over. Up let go of her, saying "Sorry Lieutenant, not sure what happened there. I'll see you later in the day" Taz had left the room, quietly, as Up looked embarrassed at what had happened. Looking back on it now, she realized that he had muttered her full name, Tasalinda.

* * *

><p>Up had been walking for fifteen minutes now. His transmission had never broken before, and usually when that happened to other men, the base thought they were killed. He walked quickly, because how else was he supposed to alert that he was alive and well. Up thought about Taz. He had to get there before they told her that he was missing or dead. When her emotions swelled up, though she tried to hide them, she was a very deadly person. She was no more than five-feet tall, and she had lovely raven hair that fell to her waist. Of course, she kept it back in a pony tail or bun, but she could use it as a weapon like no man had seen before. Up remembered her last mission, where she had used her hair to strangle a robot. It was pretty impressive. They had watched <em>The Karate Kid<em> together in his bed, and fell asleep apart, but somehow ended up in an embrace. He let his guard down. Her body, so small against his, felt like it was supposed to be there. To protect her, he had to let her go. They couldn't get involved. So they'd stay friends. No distractions. Love made you weak. And he was the toughest son-of-a-bitch around. Up started jogging. The sooner he got to the base, the better.


	2. KIA

__Mierda__, thought Taz. She had forgotten her zapper. How could she forget that? Taz stood up just as the General slowly walked to the stage. Something wasn't right. Generals didn't normally leave their offices to talk about a rescue mission or battle, let alone a practice mission. That job fell to the commanders.

"Rangers," said General Tallam slowly, "I'm afraid I have some bad news. I know you've heard that the mission to kill the robots of Los Angeles began two nights ago. For all we know, all of the robots have been killed there."

A large applause erupted from the crowd. There was whooping and cheering, but Taz didn't understand. General Tallam said bad news. Sure enough, Tallam raised his hands.

"It came with a heavy cost. Fifty men and women left this base forty-eight hours ago under the command of Commander Up. Yesterday afternoon, there were twenty Rangers. We now know that as of this morning, there were no survivors."

Images of the fallen appeared on the screen in order of time of death. There, in the bottom right corner, was Up.

"No," Taz whispered, shaking her head. "No!"

Tears began to obscure her vision. This couldn't be real. After everything, Up couldn't just... die.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and she heard a familiar voice from the door. "No need to start celebrating my death as a war hero yet, you incompetent bastards."

* * *

><p>Up finally made it to the hall, and sure enough, they were discussing the mission. And there it was, his picture and name alongside the dead. Up found Taz, which wasn't an easy feat considering her height. The unexpected happened: Taz was crying. He walked into the room, and those closest to him gasped. Soon, all eyes were on him as he walked to the stage.<p>

"No need to start celebrating my death as a war hero yet, you incompetent bastards."

"Commander Up!", said Tallam in shock.  
>"You can't think a Ranger's dead because of a faulty transmission device," snarled Up, handing over his broken communicator.<p>

Up walked to Taz. She looked up at him, tears over her red face. Before he knew it, she jumped up and had her arms around him in a hug.

"You fool, don't you ever scare me like that again, you promise?" Taz asked, her head pressed against his chest.

"I promise," said Up, his arms around her. Her tears gave away her feelings, and Up realized that he could never have her on another one of his missions again.


	3. Lies

It had been two weeks since Up's return to the base. He and Taz spent time together, but things never returned to the way their friendship had been before watching _The Karate Kid_. Today, they were working out in the gym, Taz lifting weights, and Up doing pull-ups. Part of him wanted to see her transferred to another base so he could keep his feelings in check, but who knows what could happen to her then. There was another mission coming up, and he hadn't told her that she wasn't going yet. He couldn't put her in danger. He needed her to stay safe.

Lieutenant Faldon dropped a large weight on the ground, snapping Up back into reality.

"Corporal!" Up yelled.

Faldon looked frightened, knowing that he angered the scariest commander on base. "S-s-sir?"

"Quit your stutterin' and be more careful! Don't make me come over there and teach you how to be careful!"

Faldon struggled to put the weight back, and Up heard Taz quietly laughing.

Up had finally admitted to himself that he liked her. Her smile, her laugh, her raven hair, her eyes, her sarcasm, her slight body. Was it natural for him to want to jump down from the bar, knock the weights from her hands and kiss her? To have her body under him while he explore her mouth with his tongue, explore her body with his hands, for her to caress him tightly? __Snap out of it__, thought Up, __you're going soft___. _She wouldn't have him anyways. A man who looked old enough to be her father. No, she wouldn't have him, and so he wouldn't have her. That was that. Up dropped down from the bar. _One hundred pull-ups, maybe you are going a bit soft_.

* * *

><p>Up was yelling at Faldon, like usual. Taz couldn't help but laugh. Everybody on the base was terrified of him, and there were times when she was scared of him too. He was the best commander in the G.L.E.E., and his reputation was phenomenal. Taz thought about Up a lot now. He was in her dreams, dreams that dared to bring to life what couldn't happen. Romances between officers were looked down upon.<p>

Taz stood up to change weight machines and saw Up doing pull-ups. In her dreams she would kiss him passionately, but this was reality. She needed to stay tough, like Up.

Up began to walk to the locker room, and Taz ran after him.

"Up!" Taz shouted.

He turned around. "Yes, Taz?"

"I was just wondering if you would tell me when there would be another mission. _Por favor_, Up. I want to fight!"  
>"Taz, I-" Up stopped. "We'll talk about this later."<p>

* * *

><p>Up didn't tell her about the mission, and by this point, he didn't plan to. They were watching another old movie now, <em><em>Red Dawn<em>_. In two hours, he'd be taking a crew to Mexico to fight off more robots, and Mexico was the last place he wanted to take Taz. His arm around her waist, they lay together on the bed. They'd been friends for a decade now. He couldn't deny his feelings for her, but he needed their friendship more than anything.

Taz fell asleep before the movie ended, her head resting against his chest. Very carefully, Up rolled out of bed and prepared for the mission. With some hesitation, he kissed the top of Taz's head. The smell of her hair made him wish he didn't have to go. If only he could freeze time. He glanced at his watch and saw that time wasn't on his side tonight.

The door became stuck when he tried to leave. __So much for letting her sleep__, Up thought before slamming the door shut.

"Up?"

"Shit," he muttered before running to the shuttle.

* * *

><p>Taz woke up to the sound of the door slamming. Now where was Up going? Taz quickly got up and opened the door. Rangers dressed for battle passed by.<p>

"Walondoler!" Taz yelled at one of the Rangers. "What's going on?"

"Err…" Private Walondoler looked uncomfortable, "Taz, we weren't supposed to say anything, but we're leaving for Mexico. Up told us not to tell you, so please don't hurt me!"

"_Que?_! What do you mean there is a mission?" Up hid this from her. The one thing that made her happy, and he hid it from her. Up was going to be surprised, and probably furious, but she was going to show him that she was not to be messed with. Taz punched the door, making Walondoler jump. "I'm coming with you."


	4. Chapter 4

The shuttle landed in the remote Mexican village, and Up ordered the weapons to be unloaded from the cargo hold. The sooner the mission was over, the sooner he could get back to Taz, and he had the feeling that she was not going to be happy with him.

One hundred Rangers emptied the shuttle, and went out in their various teams. Up put on a brave face and walked out into the hot wasteland, stopping only because he heard a familiar battle cry. A Ranger ran past him and killed a robot effortlessly. She wore her long black hair in a pony tail.

_Taz._

* * *

><p>Taz kept running until she caught up with Walondoler's team.<p>

"Hey!" she shouted. "I'm here to get the job done, Rangers! Don't you ever move on without me again, or I will unscrew your heads!"

Walondoler looked both petrified and relieved to see her, "If Up knows you're-"

"I think he saw me, and it's too late for me to go back. What can I do?"

"We're trying to get the big one. It's going to take a lot of zapper power to bring it down."

"Good," said Taz, "Let's do this."

* * *

><p>The hours passed, and the robots fell. Like all battles, Rangers died. It was just a part of war. Up fought distracted, his thoughts focused on Taz. Soon it was almost nightfall, and there were only two robots left in the city. The multiple troops had combined into two groups, and Up frantically looked for Taz in his group. Nobody had seen her. Up's robot didn't give up with an easy fight. He sent a fatal shot to its head, but as the robot was falling, Lieutenant Jahandara, was caught by the robot. Up heard the sickening noise as her legs were crushed but kept a straight face. Two of his Rangers grabbed her and ran to the ship.<p>

"The rest of you wussies, come with me!" Up yelled. "One more deadgoddamn robot left."

* * *

><p>Taz's group tried to stay ahead of the robot, but it was a smart one. It seemed to be one step ahead all of the time. The big one was easy to take down, but this <em>hijo de puta<em> robot was smarter. It didn't help that it killed half of their group. Taz and Walondoler hid behind a wall, trying to figure out the best way to kill it. It was fifteen feet tall, and their zappers didn't seem to do the trick. If twelve zappers couldn't kill it, they needed more power.

"Walondoler, call for back-up!"

Walondoler looked tired. A sickly gash on his arm from a robot seemed to be taking a toll on him. He took his walkie talkie, and said "This is Walondoler. We have a problem. The robot here seems to predict our every move. Twelve zappers aren't enough for it. We're by the building with a silver dome on top. Come quickly!"

Taz looked around. The Rangers seemed beaten. "Come on! We can't give up that easily. We have got to do this. Do you want to be seen as chicken? No! Besides, Up would kill us himself if we don't die fighting this, and you know it! Now c'mon! Let's get back up!"

The robot was there in the middle of a former intersection. Taz knew that they would have to get rid of its laser eyes, but she didn't know how. Walondoler charged at its feet, and the robot collapsed. He had changed the setting on his zapper to its own laser function, which worked. Unfortunately, the robot was still able to sit up, and it focused on Walondoler.

"No!" Taz yelled, but it was too late. Walondoler was turned into ashes, and the other Rangers soon met the same fate. Taz found the door to a building and ran up the stairs. From the window, she could jump down and take out the laser eyes. Her zapper wasn't strong enough to wipe out the robot's motherboard, which was located in the head, but she could get the eyes at least. She jumped.

* * *

><p>Up was frantic. His group was the only chance that Taz could survive. They ran quickly to get to the street that Walondoler mentioned. No sooner did they reach their destination and Up froze. A girl jumped from the second story window of a building and took out the laser eyes that protruded from the robots head. Taz sure was a fantastic Ranger. That was a brilliant move. Everything turned wrong though. The robot, blind and confused, moved its right arm in a motion too fast for Taz. Up saw her body fly backward and land in a crumpled heap.<p>

"Taz!" Up looked at his Rangers, "Well what are you waiting for? Let's send this son-of-a-bitch to Hell!"

Up led the Rangers in the attack, but didn't fire his zapper. His troops could handle it without him. He needed to check on Taz. While the robot fell for good, Up ran to Taz's motionless body. There was blood coming out of a gash on her leg, and there was a ugly looking bruise forming on her wrist. Up took the other wrist to find a pulse. Still beating. He put his ear against Taz's lips and heard soft breathing. Up took Taz in his arms and ran back to the shuttle, the other Rangers running behind them.

The shuttle sped back to the base. Up didn't let Taz out of his arms, and stopping some of the bleeding with his shirt. His Taz, his beautiful Taz. It seemed like the only part of her body that wasn't injured was her face. Up softly kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and, after hestitating, her lips. To his surprise, the last kiss was returned. He looked down and saw Taz's brown eyes looking into his.

"Gracias, Up" she whispered as she slipped into unconsciousness again.


End file.
